My New Star
by Lulu ala Rue
Summary: Ginny's died and Harry's left with a daughter. How will he manage to raise her without the help of his love? Follows daughter from age 5 to the start of Hogwarts.
1. The Beginning

**Disclaimer: However pointless this is, I do not own Harry Potter.**

Ginerva Lillian-Molly Potter. Nine pounds, five ounces, eleven inches long. Born on fourteenth of March, forty-three minutes past the third hour of the day.

Ginerva Molly Weasley Potter. Twenty-six years old. Time of death: forty-four minutes past the third hour of the day on the fourteenth of March.

A new life, an old life, one exchanged for the other. My beloved wife never even saw the daughter she had hoped for; the daughter who looked 'exactly like her father, but with her mother's eyes.' How was I, Harry Potter, supposed to raise a daughter? With trials and triumphs and help from my friends, glad to help with whatever, unable to produce a child of their own. And here begins the story of Ginerva Lillian-Molly Potter, my new star.

xxx

"Harry James Potter, I'm going to kill you, as it's your fault I'm like this! OW!!! GET THIS BLOODY THING OUT OF ME!" My Gin had been screaming this for the past fourteen hours, determinded to shatter my very hand.

"Mrs. Potter, I'm afraid you won't be having a natural birth." A medi-witch informed us. We knew this was coming; Ginny had been sick for some time and just didn't have energy.

Paling, Ginny nodded, drained from pain. All the while, I murmured sweet nothing, her grip loosening when we heard the baby cry.

"Ginny, darling, love, we have a girl!" I whispered. As I peppered her with kisses, there was no response, skin pale, cold, breath non-existent.

It was a complete hour before I was allowed to take my daughter to her new family, as I was required to take Calming Draughts.

As I came out, face tear-streaked and baby asleep, everyone looked at me, worry and happiness on their faces.

"How's Ginny?" Mrs. Weasley asked, mistaking my tears for joy. I shook my head as she removed the baby from my arms, Hermione enveloping me as my friend, my sister. The nearby Healer was required to explain.

It was another two hours, as I sat with Ron at the Burrow, Mrs. Weasley having taken the baby upstairs, before I spoke.

"Ginerva. That's her first name. Ginerva Lillian-Molly Potter."

"Harry, how can you name her when you've hardly looked at her?"

"It's the name Ginny wanted. Lillian Molly at least." And it was true. I'd refused to look at her, finding she reminded me too much of my dead wife.

xxx

Lily, as we now called her, and I remained at the Burrow for two days, leaving for mine and Ginny's home in Godric's Hollow as soon as we could. I refused to go to her funeral, refusing to go into our bedroom, her bathroom, move her shoes from by the door or take her cloak off the coat rack, as I found it too much to handle, too much to think about.

For the first two weeks, Lily would be awoken by _my _crieds, always falling asleep as we rocked in the nursery. I always fell asleep watching her.

When the first month rolled past, I had Hermione to come help me baby-proof the house. She told me I needn't worry yet, but I did. To me, my daughter was everything; a living tribute to her. The last thing she gave to the world.

**A/N: Well, that's chapter one. I hope you all liked this, and I'm in desperate need of a beta. -sigh- Please, review! If I don't get reviews, then I think no one likes it! Now, don't make Lulu sad, and review!!**

_**Lulu**_

**Chapter Two: Age 5**

**Lily's fifth birthday at the Burrow, here's an excerpt;**

"_**Thank you Grandmum, Grandad!" Voice ringing out, Lily showed me the latest memorabilia. "It's Mummy's dress robes!" I smiled sadly as she showed them to me - robes that had been Ginny's when she was younger. It was tradition now; Lily had been slowly getting pieces of her mother's past for holidays. She continued her presenst; books from Ron and Hermione, joke stuff from the twins, a dragon snow globe from Charlie, a toy broomstick from Billy, and then she got to the smallest: mine. **_

_**Slowly she opened it, a gasp escaping her small mouth.**_


	2. Star's Eighth Year

**I thought I'd let you all know that I made a mistake on the last chapter. Lily is turning eight in this chapter, not five. Thank you.**

**xxx**

Years passed, Lily took her first steps, spoke her first words, growing bigger, and at the age of four, I was positive that she had Ginny's personality. At age seven, she had her odd, yet miraculous, outlook on life.

It was hard, but I had Ron, Hermione and six other Weasley's looking out for us - Percy still not having reconciled with the family. I had thought that Ginny's death would bring him back, but he blamed me, a continuous affiliate.

On Lily's eighth birthday, we were all gathered around the table at the Burrow; Her chair filled by her daughter, oblivious to the symbolism of it to us all. As we sang, my daughter's face glowed with pride, blowing out her candles.

"Than you Grandmum, Grandad!" Voice ringing out, Lily showed me the latest memorabilia. "It's Mummy's dress robes!" I smiled sadly as she showed them to me - robes that had been Ginny's when she was younger. It was tradition now: Lily had been slowly getting pieces of her mother's past for holidays. She continued her presents; books from Ron and Hermione, joke stuff from the twins, a dragon snow globe from Charlie, a toy broomstic from Bill, and then she got to the smallest: mine.

Slowly, she opened it, a gasp escaping her small mouth.

"Daddy, this - this was Mummy's." her voice in awe, she looked at the present, almost afraid of touching it.

"And now it's yours." Swallowing the lump that had formed in my throat, I knelt beside her, fastening it around her freckly neck.

Simple, just as Ginny liked it. A simple silver locket, engraved with _My Gin,_ it opened at Lily's touch, reveling four picturees, a piece in the middle holding two. The first one was of Molly and Arthur, their wedding, then my parents at theirs, then Ginny and I at ours.

"That last one is of you." I heard myself explaining to her. She just gazed at me silently, then crawled into my lap, burrying her face in my neck. I looked around at our family: Mr. Weasley smiling sadly, Mrs. Weasley crying softly. Hermione walked over, awkwardly hugging me before kissing her goddaughter's head.

The party ended, Lily and I going home to sleep. Around midnight, she came in, crawling into bed with me, cuddled in my arms. I knew the words were coming, as they did every Friday, but as always, I dreaded them.

"Tell me about Mummy."

xxx

You could say it was a riutal, but ever since she was three, (smart kid) she'd ask me about her mother, and this was her bedtime story.

"Which one do you want to hear?" At the moment, it was too painful to think of a new story, but I knew the moment I asked what her answer would be; her favorite story.

"How did you and Mummy fall in love?" It was hard to pinpoint the exact moment, so I always told her of our first kiss; which in my opinion, was close enough for her.

At the end of the story, her reaction was the same as always.

"Eww! Da-ddy!" I tickled her, her laugh an exact copy of her mother's. "Stop Daddy!" When I had finished, we laid, enjoying the peacefullness of being with memories and my daughter.

xxx

**Aw, the end of this chapter. Sorry for the long wait, I just was sick lately, then went back to school and had to catch up with finals and everything. Please review, as I don't think anyone likes this poor thing!**

**Excerpt from Chapter Three: The Letter**

_**Harry,**_

_**I love you dearly, and I know that if you're reading this, I'm gone from this world, leaving you and my daughter alone. Please Harry, don't mourn me when I'm gone, don't cry, and be the strong noble man I know you are.**_

_**Ginerva Molly Weasley Potter**_

**That's not the best part though, so please, review, because the faster I get those, the faster I usually update.**

_**Lulu**_


	3. The Letter

**A/N: This chapter is dedicated to HermioneKnowItAll for convincing me that this story has not died and for pushing me to update it! This one's for you doll!**

* * *

I still can't believe I yelled at her. I've never yelled at Lily, but I did, and I'm never doing it again.

When I went into the bathroom, there she was, Ginny's stuff around her. Stuff I hadn't looked at since Ginny died; stuff she knew she wasn't supposed to touch.

"Ginerva Lillian-Molly! What do you think you're doing?"

"I-I just wanted to-to look," her voice was soft and her lip trembled, but I didn't back down.

"You know you're not supposed to touch that stuff, don't you?" My voice wasn't quieting, if anything it was getting louder. When her hazel eyes dropped from mine, I snapped. "DON'T YOU?!" I'll never forget the look on her face; terror. She ran out of the room and into hers, door slamming.

I collapsed onto the ground, tears on my face. I'd scared my daughter - my reminder of ginny. Had I disappointed her, wherever she is?

As I gathered Ginny's make-up and hair things, I notice her loopy handwriting written on an evelope. _Harry, my love._ I had stopped crying and I finished putting the stuff away. Swallowing the new lump, I opened the letter slowly, another envelope. I read the first letter immediately, wondering what it could be about.

_Harry,  
__I love you dearly, and I know that if you're reading this, I'm gone from this world, leaving you and I know that if you're reading this, I'm gone from this world, leaving you and my daughter alone. Please Harry, don't mourn me when I'm gone, don't cry, be the strong and noble man I know you are._

There was more, sweet nothings and memories of old.

_Listen to me now, just know that I didnt' want to leave you but it was what Fate's hand dealt for me.  
I love you Harry,  
Yours,  
Ginerva Molly Weasley Potter_

_P.S. The other letter is for our daughter_

'Too late.' I thought ruefully to myself, remembering all the times I had cried for her, but I wasn't going to anymore. Ginny didn't want it.

I took the other envelope in my hand, knocking on Lily's door lightly. When there was no response, I came in, sitting down on her bed.

As my fingers rubbed her back lightly, I spoke softly to her.

"Lily, sweetheart, I'm sorry..."

"I just wanted to know Mummy." Those words broke my heart, as it was true. I never really told my daughter about her mother.

"Can we talk?" she sat up and nodded, her hazel eyes big with excitement. Brushing her black hair behind her ear, I pulled her into my lap. "One question, and then we have to talk."

"Was Mummy pretty?" I swallowed thickly, remembering Ginny's words of not to cry.

"The prettiest." I said softly. "You have her eyes, and her mouth and her fiery personality." At this, Lily giggled. "But yes, your mother was so pretty. Too pretty for words."

* * *

And so we talked. My daughter and I spent a good two hours having a tete-a-tete about her mother, things I've done wrong and things we were going to make right.

There were many swallowed lumps from me and questions from her. By the time we had finished talking, it was bedtime.

After my new star drifted to dreamland, I knew it was time to conquer. Facing my fears as I stood in front of the door that had been untouced for eight years, I placed my hand on the both mental and literal doorknob and opened the door.


	4. New Beginnings

**Disclaimer: This belongs to JK Rowling. I only own my made-up.**

**A/N: Sorry for the wait guys! I should be updating much more now that I'm adjusted to school and our musical is over with its run. Updates should be more frequent also.**

"_Harry, it's purple. It's purple!" Indeed, her wand was purple and were having a baby. "I'm pregnant, we're having a baby. A baby." I was in shock._

"_A baby…" The full force of the news hit me and I was then ecstatic. "Ginny, Merlin, a baby!" I picked her up, spinning her around and then set her back down on the bed, kissing her stomach softly. "A baby…"_

xxx

"…Happy birthday dear Lily, happy birthday to you!" Lily blew out the candles, then got a fistful of cake in the face.

"Joshua Arthur, apologize to Lily now!" Hermione reprimanded her son.

"No! No no no no no!" Five year-old Josh, the boy my friends had adopted, exclaimed, making us all laugh as Lily ate cake off her face.

"Ronald, stop laughing and discipline your child." This made us all laugh harder.

"Whipped Ronnie?" Fred asked.

"Yes he is." Hermione said while Josh apologized. Ron turned a shade of red that Father Christmas' suit couldn't rival, Fred and George were supporting each other and Mrs. Weasley had tears in her eyes.

After presents had been opened and the day wore away, Lily and I resumed home. Then she went straight to…her Potions set.

"Lily, come back here, we're going to go visit your mother." I told her softly. My star's eyes lit up immediately.

"You said that I could go when I was older." That was ture. The first and only time she had come with me before, she wasn't in the mood to listen, but I thought that now was okay to take her. Lily ran up to me and held onto my legs as I Apparated us there.

xxx

It was two months after this when I realized that she could be a stubborn brat. Just like Ginny.

Ron, Hermione and I were all going to go out one weekend to go to Hogsmede and do the stuff we did as kids; visit our favorite places, relive the adventures and maybe stop in and say hi to Hagrid. I had decided that I'd leave Lily where any sensible person would leave their child – the Weasley's.

"Lily, Auntie Mione and Uncle Ron and I are going away for the weekend. You stay here and be a good girl for Grandmum, okay?" Lily nodded, running to go play with her cousins.

"Alright mate, let's go." Ron clapped me on the back and we left, Apparating straight to the Three Broomsitcks – just in time to catch our favorite Friday night special: unlimited butterbeers.

Sunday night we returned. Flooing into the Weasley's kitchen, all was normal and chaotic. Throughout all the 'Uncle Harry's,' I felt a tugging at my sleeve. Bending down expecting to see my so far unseen daughter, I never expected to see Thomas, Fred and Angelina's son and the most timid of the clan.

"Hullo Thomas," Eyes wide as saucers, he beckoned me closer, as if to tell me a secret.

"Lily, she-she was naughty!" I almost had to laugh. The poor three year-old was so excited and his whisper so loud and the way he said 'naughty' like a curse word was too much.

"Oh? And how was Lily naughty?" But Thomas was gone and in his place was Mrs. Wealsley. After her normal schpeil about how I was too skinny and my bone crushing hug, I asked about Thomas' statement with a smile. After all, my angel get into trouble? I was mistakenly wrong. Finding my daughter in a full-body bind, I freed her from it, sitting down to hear her confession. (Mrs. Weasley's form of punishment.)

"What happened Lily?" The room had cleared, leaving me alone with my daughter.

"Grandmum wouldn't let me fly."

"And?"

"And I threw a gnome at her." At my stern look, she looked away from me. "I missed though." She added, meeting my eyes hopefully. Upon seeing my face, she looked ashamed. Sighing, I knew I'd have to punish her.

"No Potions set for a week." Damn, Snape better leave Hogwarts before Lily gets there. I don't think I could handle him since Lily actually _likes _Potions.


End file.
